Ore-concentrator.



PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

W. S. & G. W. CRAVEN.

ORE CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SW12" um "cum No. 807,661. PATENTED DEG.19,1905.

W. S. & G. W. CRAVEN.

ORE CONCENTRATORQ APPLICATION TILED MA,R.28.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WALTER SIDNEY CRAVEN AND GEORGE WARREN CRAVEN, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed March 28, 1904. Serial Nov 200,345-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVALTER SIDNEY CRA- VEN and GEORGE WARREN CRAVEN,citizens of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county ofSilverbow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Ore-Concentrators, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to ore separators or concentrators; and itconsists in producing a separation of the ore and lighter material bycausing the heavier material within agitated receptacles to displace thelighter material and pass to the bottom and to move upward in conduitsby the pressure of the material in the receptacles and in thearrangement and operation of the apparatus, fully set forth hereinafterand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is anelevation of part of an apparatus embodying our improvements; Fig. 2, aplan view; Fig. 3, an end view, and Fig. 4 an enlarged section showingone of the boxes and adjacent parts and illustrating the action of theapparatus upon the material being concentrated.

The frame E of the apparatus is of any suitable construction required tosupport the operating parts and has inclined side rails D with boxes I,supporting cross-bars H, upon which rests a frame B, supporting one ormore inclined platforms or decks A and which is surrounded by a rim G ofsuitable height. The frame B also carries at a point below the lower endof each table a box or trough K, which may be of any suitable shape incrosssection-either square, rounded, or, as shown, V shapedand formed byconnecting two pieces 2 3 of plank nearly at right angles, the piece 3extending up to the top of the next lower platform when a plurality ofplatforms are used and on the same plane as the platforms, while thepiece 2 is less in height and extends to a cross-piece 5, and within thebox or trough is formed a receptacle X and a conduit Y by the downwardextension of a galvanized-iron plate 7 which covers the face andconstitutes part of the platform,said downward end constituting apartition M, extending nearly to the bottom of the receptacle X. Beloweach box is a launder 0, arranged to catch any matter which passes overthe edge of the crosspiece 5 from the top of the conduit Y. Standards atthe side of the frame support cross- 10 with the straps of eccentrics Wupon. a

shaft 12, turning in bearings carried by the frame E and rotated fromany suitable source of power.

A water-supply pipe F serves to introduce a limited portion of wateronto the upper platform or table, and the material to be concentrated isdeposited upon the table,suflicient water flowing thereto to insure thefree movement of the particles among each other. As the frame B isreciprocated and as the material is thus agitated it will flow bygravity downward upon the tables or platforms and into and fill thereceptacles, and during this movement upon the platforms heavierparticles will begin to separate themselves before the material reachesthe first receptacle, and as the receptacles are reciprocated theagitators P and L, which are relatively stationary, aid in so disturbingthe contents of the receptacles and the conduits that gradually theheavier particles will settle to the bottom of the receptacles, whilethe lighter particles will, with the water, tend to accumulate at theupper portions of the receptacles, and the superior weight of the massesof material in such receptacles will gradually force the smaller massesof heavier material upward through the conduits to and from the upperends of the latter, from which they will pass and fall into the launderO.

It should be understood that we do not depend upon water as a means ofsettling and sizing the material, but simply use it in a very limitedproportion merely to insure a greater freedom of motion between theparticles both in carrying and separating, so that there is almost nowater in the conduits and at the lower portions of the receptacles andthe discharge from the conduits is of a viscous character. It will beseen, therefore, that thedischarge from the conduits over the edges ofthe lower sides of the troughs is the result of the superior weight ofthe mass of combined materials in the receptacles, and in generaloperations this is so much the case that there would be no upward flowthrough the conduits if the mass was not maintained in agitation. Itwill be seen that as the line of discharge over the highest side of eachtrough is on the plane of the table or tables the chamber X ismaintained full of the lighter material. Further, itwill be seen thatthe flow of the water is in the direction of feed of the ore and tendsmainly to move with the heavy particles (even when minute) to thedischarge over the upper edge of the lower side of the trough.

While these agitators, as described, are stationary and serve to agitatethe material be cause of the movements of the frame and boxes, it willof course be evident that agitators of any suitable form might be movedto secure the same result.

While we have shown a frame provided with a plurality of platforms andboxes, it will be evident that each frame may have a single platform anda single box, any suitable number of frames and platforms beingemployed, and that the different parts may be constructed and operatedand proportioned differently from what is shown without departing fromthe main features of ourinvention.

Without limiting ourselves to the precise construction and arrangementshown, we claim 1. An ore-concentrator having an inclined feed-table,means whereby water is supplied thereto in only sufiicient quantity toinsure the flow of ore and to flow with the latter, a trough at andextending beyond the lower end of the table, the edge of the troughfarthest from the table on the same plane as the table, and the edge ofthe other side under and separate from the lower edge of the table, apartition extending from the table to near the bottom of the trough, andmeans for agitating the material in the trough substantially as setforth.

2. The combination in an ore-concentrator,

of an inclined table, means whereby water is supplied thereto in onlysufficient quantity to feed the ore, a trough at the lower end of thetable with a partition extending from the lower edge of the table nearlyto the bottom, one side of the trough extending upward to the plane ofthe table to afford an overflow for the lighter material filling thespace between the said side and partition, and the other side of thetrough terminating on a plane below that of the table for the overflowof the heavier material, and means to maintain the contents of thetrough agitated, substantially as set forth.

3. An ore-concentrator provided with aseries of separated inclinedplatforms or tables on the same plane, a trough between each two tableswith one side extending to the lower table and the other extendingbeneath butseparate from the lower edge of the higher table, a partitionextending from the higher table to near the bottom of the trough, andmeans for supplying a viscous mixture to and agitating the same in thetroughs, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in an ore-separator, of a series of inclinedseparated tables and intermediate troughs, a partition extending fromthe lower edge of each table nearly to the bottom of the adjacenttrough, one side of each trough extending to the next lower table andthe other side below and distant from the adjacent higher table,stationary blades extending into the troughs, and means for imparting areciprocating lateral movement to the troughs, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER SIDNEY CRAVEN. GEORGE WARREN CRAVEN.

Witnesses:

GEO. F. LYMAN, HOWARD F. KELLEY.

